School year filled with new faces

As students return to school, some will see new faces in leadership roles at their schools.

Meredosia-Chambersburg will see a new superintendent, Thad Walker, after former superintendent Ron Gilbert took a similar post for the Beardstown School District.

Walker was the Winchester Elementary School principal for seven years before taking on his new role. Before that, he was a principal at Lafayette Academy and a teacher for both the Winchester Junior-Senior High School and grade school.

Now, he said he is ready to take on the role of superintendent.

His main priority will be to improve the education of students in the district, but also to make sure the schools are safe and appealing.

“We just went through a big renovation project, but I want to continue to make gradual improvements to the grounds,” Walker said. “But I also want to bring the community together. The schools are a backbone to the community.”

After several years, Andy Stumpf returned to the Winchester School District as the principal of Winchester Elementary School to replace Walker.

Stumpf started out as a student teacher at Winchester before becoming a teacher at Carrollton Elementary School for seven years and acting as the principal at Brussels Junior-Senior High School.

Stumpf said he wanted to return to the elementary school level.

“I started in elementary education. Seeing the growth the children have on a weekly basis is something that I love about elementary education,” Stumpf said.

One of the first things Stumpf said he wants to look into is the purchase of more Promethean boards for the classrooms and to find ways to improve curriculum and test scores.

“I have high expectations, not only for myself, but for the students and the teachers,” Stumpf said. “We are a good school, but I want us to be a great school.”

Jaclyn Kuchy will be stepping into the role as the North Greene Elementary School principal, adding to her 12 years in education.

While this is her first time as an administrator, Kuchy said she is ready for the challenge.

“My first focus, what I’ll focus all my decisions on, is what’s best for the kids,” she said.

While she is still figuring out her role, she said she knows she has to be able to be a source of information for the community, the teachers, parents and students.

“As the principal, you are the go-to person for anything. I have to have confidence in myself and I have to building the confidence of my staff,” Kuchy said. “My job is to help them in any way that I can and make this a collaborative effort.”

Barbara Davidsmeyer is a new assistant principal for Jacksonville High School.

Davidsmeyer worked for seven years in the Cahokia School District as a teacher at the elementary and middle school levels before becoming the director of special education services in Rushville for four years.

Part of her duties will be addressing behavioral problems and chronic issues, such as tardiness and absences.

After studying behavior and working with special education students, Davidsmeyer said she is looking forward to helping students who have chronic behavioral problems and find solutions with each student.

“My first goal is to maintain a positive climate that makes every student and staff member want come to school,” Davidsmeyer said. “After that, I want to look into helping students get to class, to have less [tardiness] and find solutions for kids who are chronically tardy.”

Lincoln Elementary School will see a new principal along with its new look as Sue Lovdahl takes over after Paul Monrad resigned.

While she has a bit of a different background, with experience in education and educational television programs, Lovdahl said she has a variety of experience to bring to the position.

Lovdahl was a teacher in high school, elementary school and pre-kindergarten before becoming the director of education for WMEC, WQEC and WSEC programming.

“I personally know Elmo, the Cookie Monster and Big Bird. Clifford and I are good friends,” she said.

After leaving there, Lovdahl was a teacher at Lincoln Elementary School for a year before moving to North Elementary School for five years.

As she takes over the position, Lovdahl said she hopes to foster stronger relationships between the district and the parents and community.

“I love working with the families and the students,” she said.

With 21 years of experience, Kyle Price will be stepping in to fill a new assistant principal position at Turner Junior High School.

Price was a teacher in the Riverton School District at both the middle school and high school levels for 21 years and was a dean of students for eight of those years.

Before that, Price was a student teacher at Jacksonville High School and shadowed at Turner while he was studying at Illinois College.

Price will be responsible for working primarily with seventh graders, addressing any disciplinary needs and working with the staff.

“I’ll spend some time getting acclimated to the names and faces, get to know the kids,” Price said. “I want to develop a repertoire of trust with the staff and students.”

Price said he has an even more important goal in mind.

“My number one goal is to restore respect in the school,” Price said. “I want to make sure there is an environment of respect from the students to the staff. When there is respect, the sky is the limit on how well students can learn and succeed in the classroom.”